


Letting go

by Cheesecake_97



Category: Homeland
Genre: Angst, F/M, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 05:13:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9477113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheesecake_97/pseuds/Cheesecake_97
Summary: This is NOT fluffy.  Takes place some where beyond Season 6. It's simple and sad, I'm sorry.Chapter 2 is up.. it's not as dark!





	1. Stay put

 

Deep under the huge cavernous professional football stadium, with thousands of fans above them.. an explosion rocked the thick cement walls and over her com a familiar voice yelled,

*Carrie, stay put.

*I can get to them Quinn, I can.

*Carrie, don't do it... Carrie.

It was too late, she was already running down the dark corridor. By the time he reached the stairwell to chase her down, another explosion knocked him off his feet. He jumped up and flew down the stairs. His heart filled with dread as he pried open the fire door. Dust chocked his lungs and there was just rumble before him. Frantically he began to dig until he found a flashlight and her hand.

She opened her eyes for the first time, after he had already carried her up three flights of stairs.

* Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here.

* Stop, stop running Quinn.

* F* no.

* Please... please.  
With pleading eyes, he knew he couldn't say no to her.

He gently set her down and slumped next to her in the sterile stairwell. With just a dull green emergency light overhead, he could tell she was turning more and more grey as the seconds ticked by. He turned her over and examined her spine concerned about internal bleeding. He was ripping the back off her dust filled jacket, when she protested,

*Quinn, let it go.

*F*, we can still...

*No.  
She was both firm and resigned all at once. Her eyes spoke the truth, but Quinn was too stubborn to accept it.

*Don't do this Carrie, I can still get you home, you have to fight, we have to ..  
She pulled away and looked up into his face.

*No, no... this is home.

Her hand gently touched his chest. Shock filled his face and disbelief clouded his eyes. Somehow all the years of longing came crashing into that moment, everything that could have been, everything that never would be. Their faces said what their words never could.

*Carrie.....

*It's OK.

Everything wasn't OK, but arguing with Carrie was pointless. He had learned that. Her breathing was pained, as she said,

*There is just one thing.

*Whatever you need.

She took a long, labored breath, closed her eyes and said,  
*Be there, for her.

She opened her eyes to look into his intense stare, and saw a gentle nod of his head. _Of course he would say "yes"._

He brushed a strand of hair out of her face and all the things they never said hung in the air. All the hopes they once had, could never be fulfilled. It really was never to be. It felt as if the light grew dimmer, as they mutually recognized there were no second chances.

*Quinn... I... 

But she couldn't finish her thought. Carrie's coloring was fading as she leaned her head into his chest and with all she had, she whispered,  
*For always.

It was a declaration, it was a long held silent promise, it was unwavering devotion. It was their anchor in the darkest storms. They were each others...always. Tears streamed down his face, as he wrapped her up in an embrace. He could barely utter the words into her ear,

*For always now.

That had been _his_ goodbye and now this was _hers_.

She went limp in his arms and he was never the same.

 

 

 

 


	2. Too many shoes

 

The rumor mill was swirling among Carrie's extended family members. Who was he is? The lobby was filled with black suits and sober faces and everyone wanted to know who the mysterious, intense guy in the back was. Only a few people really knew. One of them put his hand on Quinn's back after the service concluded and said,

*There was no one like her. She was the best.

*Yeah.

*She would have done anything for you.

*She already had.

Max just nodded. They were both masters of saying very little, but understanding each other a lot. Their shared memories told the real story. Some how "The Mute" had turned into the gatekeeper of their secrets.

 

******** Many years later *********

 

*How many f*ing shoes does one human need?

Another huge packing box landed on the dorm bed. The autumn leaves were just turning golden outside her Boston dorm room.

*Not everyone has ONLY three pairs of shoes, like you Dad!

*Well there was a time I only needed one pair!

*What a true minimalist!

He went back down to the parking lot to retrieve more boxes. Franny turned and kept unpacked her office supplies into her tiny, dingy freshman desk. She caught her breath, as she touched an old framed picture. It was her favorite picture. Dad must have packed it for her. It was that one singular Christmas. Looking down she saw the simple Christmas tree in the background, Dad had long hair and was in sweatpants. Mom was holding a coffee cup looking up at him, with shinning happy eyes. She was just a little kid, joyfully holding a cookie. It was a beautiful memory that haunted them. She smiled to herself as she set the picture frame on her desk, and Dad brought in another box.

*I noticed the emergency exit door was a little rusty, and the lock to .....

*Don't worry Dad.

*I'm just saying.

*Stop it, I can neutralize anyone, if need be. It's not like I can't defend myself.

The aggravation in her voice sounded so familiar.

*Fran I know you can defend yourself against, against those...

*Boys, they are called boys Dad.

*Yeah, well they are disease prone and you need to stay the f* away from those motherf*kers!

Fran just rolled her eyes.

Part of him wished she would have stayed home to go to the local junior college. He could have kept an eye on her, but she would have been settling just for him. He couldn't be that selfish. It would have squashed her talent and great potential. He knew this was where she belonged, in a competitive academic environment, but how was he ever going to let her go?

*Emily and her parents are suppose to come in later tonight. I wish you could stay and meet them.

*I can't Fran, beside your roommate will be plenty boring enough without me.

*How do you know that?  
Her eyes narrowed and she read his thoughts.  
*You didn't Dad! You promised.

* Just wanted to make sure they were safe. Believe me with a statistician and a librarian for parents, Emily will be boring as f*. They don't even have any parking tickets!

*How could you be so intrusive?

*I'm sorry Fran... it's just what I do.

*Whatever.

She angrily unpacked more jeans into her microscopic dorm closet.  
He had faced a lot of dark sh*t in his life, but nothing felt as scary as this, letting her go. After Franny cooled off and all the boxes were empty, they silently walked down to the parking lot. His now empty truck looked especially lonely.

*Well I'll be home for Thanksgiving.

They smiled at each other and he pulled her into a big bear hug. He could feel her tears against his checks. Maybe some were his too. She had saved him, saved him from himself, given him a purpose to live when he had none. When the world was at it's bleakest, she was that shining star, leading him home. Now she wasn't a little girl anymore. She didn't need him, like she use to. There wasn't going to be Saturday morning french toast, or afternoons practicing archery, or late night stories to be told. He didn't realize this was going to hurt so much.

*Fran... I...

*I know Dad.

Her voice broke with emotion.  
He hugged her tighter.

She whispered in his ear,

*For always..

The words cut deep into his soul, as if spoken by another voice, as if he could hear her voice again.

Another declaration of unwavering devotion. Of promises long kept, of expansive love without measure. It was if time stood still, it was if they could stop this next chapter from starting.

He whispered back,

*For always now.

  
Somewhere out there she was so proud, her last wish for them both had come true.

 

 

 

 

 

The End.

 


End file.
